Anonymous Services - Can We Get A List Going And Feedback?

I'm actually the editor of the article over at techsupportalert.com. I'm interested to learn about new and free services. Thanks.

Blode.

 

As I've noted in the "Xerobank questions ?" thread, I'm still using XeroBank. When it stops working, or when I'm presented with credible evidence that it's insecure, I'll switch to another service. My short list presently comprises Cryptohippie, Rayservers and Mullvad.

AFAIK, Cryptohippie and Rayservers are at least as secure as XeroBank. However, their throughput charges are substantially higher. Mullvad, OTOH, doesn't limit throughput, but I know little re its design and security (except that it grew out of The Pirate Bay).

Also, FWIW, I wonder how many other VPN providers follow and post to Wilders. Although Steve and Kyle post infrequently, and are often rather cryptic, they are openly here. I also recall posts from CryptoCloud (Fausty) and a few startups. What about the rest?

 

Well, we know Cryptohippie and XeroBank are related in their corporate structure. But then you mentioned Rayservers. I knew I had heard that name before and connected it to XeroBank. I did a forum search and it returned several threads about this rather obscure little company, most all related to Xerobank controversy. Including one of the most legendary threads in Wilders history: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1018578&postcount=1

Just how close are you to the Xerobank people?

As for XB posting here, it obviously was a marketing thing as Steve did that when XB was "active." Nobody can deny that it's only the lack of XB's presence here that looks like they've pretty much thrown in the towel on marketing new customers and even supporting current customers (no forum, no response to support from the website, no response to emails).

 

Well, I'm not too sure that the concept "corporate structure" is all too relevant for these folks. It does appear, however, that they know each other. Generally, I suspect that many are descendants (in some sense) of the old Laissez Faire City project. And FWIW, I mentioned Rayservers on Wilders back in August.

I'm a subscriber. I didn't know any of them before becoming a subscriber, and I don't have any other relationships with any of them (except, perhaps, using different pseudonyms, on cypherpunks, many years ago). However, I have spent considerable effort researching XeroBank, and everyone associated with it, as part of determining that I could trust them.

Perhaps you're right. I really have no clue. Time will tell. That's not a joke.

 

Well they talk a bit about privacy and security through out the site.

Here's what their 'Overview' section says; (In fact this section is very privacy/security focused.)

Tor is a network of virtual tunnels that allows people and groups to improve their privacy and security on the Internet.

From what I remember in the Tor bundle they also throw in some addons, noscript, and better privacy. So maybe if you added on a few other security addons then the Tor browser is a pretty good setup for people...

 

I did have a list of VPN's. I will see if i can find it. I'm not sure if this one has been mentioned, but i will post it just in case. Here is a Swiss based VPN. http://www.swissvpn.net/

 

Wooo SWISS, now that's got to be safe given the history of Switzerland.

I read they are a part of this Monzoon Solutions; (Looks like a nice company)
http://solutions.monzoon.net/?sec=isp&cot=vpn&lang=en

Now this is I might use, about $6.25 USD a month...

I don't know they like PPTP...

I thought PPTP is bad and better to use OpenVPN?


This is their specs;

PPTP tunnel (integrated in todays Microsoft Windows ®, Apple Mac OS X ® or Linux ® operating systems

128-bit MPPE encryption, authentication protocol is MS-CHAPv2

Swiss Public IP Address, no NAT, no filtering, fully transparent

Backend connection 2 Gbit/s, fully redundant


THANKS


P.S. Found these guys in the UK;
http://vpnuk.net/

VPN List:
http://www.vpnsp.com/

 

Comodo TrustConnect. If you sign up via http://forums.comodo.com/comodo-tru...nect-and-wanted-it-for-freewell-t45831.0.html, you get 10 GB free a month. Note: I don't have any experience with this service.

There's a list at http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/probably-best-free-security-list-world.htm.

 

I've been using the latest TOR Bundle from the TOR project site on a flash drive for a few days now and have found it to be more responsive than in the past when it was so slow I gave up on it. TOR and my AV had to get used to each other, and that took a couple of reboots, but it seems to be fine now. It is plugged in and running now with a "private" connection while I am using Firefox on the same system with my normal IP address, I wonder what my ISP thinks of this behavior?

One problem I have had is add-ons for the portable Firefox that is installed with the TOR bundle. There seems to be some major malfunction here that I need to research on the TOR project website as I cannot even install Keyscrambler without a lot of errors.

An interesting article from the TOR project:

https://www.torproject.org/press/2010-09-16-ten-things-circumvention-tools.html.en

 

"Heard bad things in the past." What exactly did you "hear"? Can you point to documented bad actions by this company? Have there been corrective actions?

To clarify "Anonymizer" services from a home user: VPN to Anonymizer Proxy Service; rotating LARGE pool of IP address assignment.

 

It's the ownership since '08, YaddaMinski: ABRAXAS. Google it.

edit------- I'll just give you a few links.

Note that the Abraxas CEO Richard Helms, is not the former director of the CIA under Nixon (he died in 2002); but Richard Hollis Helms is the CEO of Abraxas and yes, he was a 30 year CIA veteran.
http://aconstantineblacklist.blogspot.com/2008/02/abraxas-names-former-cia-official-to.html

http://www.nvtc.org/tec/RichardHelms.php

I guess if you want your "anonymity" and "privacy" service to be owned by known intelligence operatives then Anonymizer will work for you.
Once this is know, most would have a.... errr....problem with that.

 

Just to let you know that I have been unable to independently verify the editor's credentials at bestvpnreviews. A Wilders user reported that an inquiry on the site's contact page went unanswered. I'm not linking to that thread as it's been heavily redacted and is confusing. But I made a rather extensive search to confirm the editor's stated identity and I was not sucessful. I welcome correction if anyone has updated information about the veracity of the site or reviews.

 

Don't see Helms on the company roster. Did he leave? Guilt by Association? There are many fine persons working in the CIA and FBI, but I agree that things like Carnivore and Echelon are somewhat troubling. I wish the US would pull out of most foreign lands. The ME is a dead end.

 

It's to slow and with the 10gb limit you're better off using Tor...

 

No guilt by association. Helms was the founder of Abraxas. I don't know if he's still there or not. The fact of the matter is - and there's no disputing this as it is a fact - Abraxas is crawling with CIA, NSA, FBI people as it's a private intelligence company. In other words - there mission is to get secrets - not keep them.

Check this out:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/companies/abraxas-corporation/

 

Wooo didn't realize, hey everyone it's the 'Gizmos Freeware Reviews' editor.

Cool & Welcome!

 

What kind of problem do you think this would create for people?

 

Thanks. I'm more than happy to let Wilders forum use my article here to promote some of the free anonymous and privacy services. All I ask is that you source it. I've been playing around with i2p and using multiple VPNs and I've been impressed so far. i2p seems to have some major advantages over Tor.

Blode.

 

You're joking, right?

 

What article where?

Ahhh i2p never heard that one, looks interesting...

http://www.i2p2.de/

 

"At Abraxas Applications, we are dedicated to effecting a paradigm shift in the methodologies traditionally applied to securing critical infrastructure and people – a shift from a philosophy of damage mitigation through increased physical security to a new and proactive approach of attack prevention through the identification and disruption of pre-attack planning and surveillance activities."

http://www.abraxasapps.com/

DF might give me a slap on the wrist, so I'm going to make this brief
It is entirely possible that Richard Helms is the world's foremost authority on civil liberties I think I heard he sleep with a copy of the U.S. Constitution under his pillow. Lance Cottrel, who launched Anonymizer, is a noted privacy advocate and is now chief scientist at Abraxas, according to his bio.

LE needs impeccable anonymity. Anonymizer might, in fact, provide impeccable anonymity. In other words, if their own people are using it, they're only going to get as good as they give. But anonymity and encryption can't distinguish between unregulated and prohibited information goods. And Abraxas needs first and foremost to make that distinction. That's their job. And they take it pretty seriously.

 

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-anonymous-surfing-service.htm

It is interesting.

Blode.

 

Your point is that they can't be trusted to secure your information because they don't make the claim that they "can't distinguish between unregulated and prohibited information goods."?

 

IMHO, Anonymizer undoubtedly logs. They log at least headers indefinitely, and log as much payload as possible for as long as possible given available storage. They probably use data analysis and warehousing systems. Why wouldn't they?

 

My point is that I don't trust them way before they make any claims at all.